A Lai fell silent.
"I have no choice but to follow my mother," Fang Fang continued. "A man can only keep the woman he loves by becoming better himself."
A Lai nodded, resigned. "You already gave me a chance. I won't blame you. My three guiding principles—being true to my heart, harboring no grievances, and having no regrets—apply here."
Fang Fang inadvertently let out a slight, disdainful smile. She explained, "The world is vast, but the greatest debt is to one's parents, followed by siblings and lovers. This is the virtue and baseline of being human. I can't betray the heavy debt of my parents' care. If I were to insist on continuing my relationship with you, it would only bring me endless suffering and inner turmoil. Our marriage would never be happy. Please consider this for my sake."
A Lai smiled, though with a tinge of sadness. "Filial piety comes first. It's a virtue of our culture that I deeply respect. If you disregarded your parents' care, I'd lose respect for you; you'd be a person without gratitude."
Fang Fang proposed, "Since we were both nourished by the same mother's milk, let's just remain brother and sister without any further ambitions. Does that sound okay?"
"Fang Fang, I'll listen to you."
"I hope that you and your mother can live with no guilt, no regrets, and no hard feelings."
"Fine, fine, that's good."
"Since you're willing to call me your sister, don't be upset if I speak frankly. What are your plans now?"
A Lai, uncertain, replied, "I'll wait for the third batch of acceptance letters. If it doesn't work out, I'll discuss it with Grandpa. I'm not ready to give up. I want to repeat the year and try again next year."
Fang Fang, frustrated by A Lai's lack of self-awareness, coldly replied, "Only when you become truly strong can you dictate what's right. If you keep falling and fail to achieve anything, whatever you say will be meaningless."
She suggested, "Your grandfather is getting old. I think you should face reality and go out to work, so your grandfather can enjoy a better life."
Fang Fang was about to return to the city for her studies.
She said her farewells to A Lai, but before leaving, she confided in him. "Li Shiren from Renxin Hospital says I have great potential. They want to sponsor me to study abroad, with all expenses covered by the hospital. The condition is that I must return and work for Renxin Hospital after graduation. Should I go or not?"
A Lai responded earnestly, "Such an opportunity is rare and highly sought after. Of course, you should go. Why wouldn't you? Nowadays, overseas graduates are highly regarded."
Fang Fang asked, "Will you come to see me off when I leave?"
A Lai understood that Fang Fang had already made up her mind and was just politely seeking his opinion. Everyone has their own path.
So he readily agreed, "As long as you want me to, I'll definitely see you off at the airport."
Though A Lai said this, he couldn't help but feel a sense of loss.
...
The day of Fang Fang's departure arrived. A Lai arrived early at her home to meet up. At the door, a BMW was parked, with a middle-aged man in sunglasses sitting in the driver's seat, glancing at his phone. It was Li Shiren.
"Beep beep..."
Li Shiren repeatedly honked the horn as Fang Fang and her mother hurried out. A Lai helped load the luggage into the trunk.
The car weaved through the city's traffic, showcasing Li Shiren's excellent driving skills, and soon they arrived at Baiyun Airport.
"Attention, passengers on flight HARRISBURG to Manluo. Boarding has begun. Please proceed to the gate."
A Lai followed Fang Fang, pulling her luggage. After completing all the procedures, they reached the security checkpoint. A Lai put down the suitcase, and Fang Fang turned to him, whispering in his ear, "I'm leaving. You're not sad? Will you miss me?"
A Lai whispered back, "I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't miss you."
Fang Fang said, "When I emerge from my cocoon as a butterfly, I will do my best to help you."
A Lai replied respectfully, "Thank you. You've already done more than enough."
Fang Fang suddenly gave a bitter smile. "I've said many unlucky things to you, and I sincerely apologize. I'm truly sorry. This time, I genuinely wish you the best. Maybe when I return, it'll be to witness your miracle. I hope my words come true again."
"Heh heh," A Lai chuckled awkwardly. "Even as you're leaving, you can't resist teasing me, can you?"
Fang Fang continued, "Remember what I told you about Darwin's theory of evolution—survival of the fittest. I hope you understand. No matter what, I'm your sister now, so don't be upset."
A Lai knew what she meant: Whether he accepted it or not, reality was harsh. He calmly asked, "Can you give me your phone number?"
Li Xiuqin, standing nearby, coldly interjected, "What's the point? You don't have a phone, and you can't afford one. Even if you did, could you afford the phone bill? And even if you managed to pay it, could you handle the long-distance calls? You can barely make ends meet. Why bother?"
Fang Fang hugged her mother, then politely shook hands with Li Shiren, thanking him.
Li Shiren responded courteously, "Safe travels. I hope you arrive safely."
Fang Fang glanced back at A Lai before gracefully turning and walking resolutely through security.
The deep hum of engines filled the air as the flight to Manluo took off. A Lai watched the plane ascend into the sky, carrying Fang Fang further and further away.
Li Xiuqin, relieved, quietly approached A Lai and said, "A Lai, think about what Fang Fang told you. Dreams are beautiful, but reality is harsh. Winners are celebrated, while losers are forgotten. I warned you before..."
A Lai listened silently, smiling slightly. "As long as a person can live with a clear conscience, with no regrets and no grievances, that's enough."
Li Shiren, no longer as warm as before, remained cold and distant, as if A Lai no longer existed to him.
A Lai glanced at him and thought, *Fang Fang's departure was clearly arranged by him to prevent me from clinging on.*
Speaking with double meaning, A Lai said, "I believe in the saying, 'Heaven is watching what people do.' Karma is real, and no one escapes it."
Li Shiren remained silent, his face expressionless. "Let's go, Xiuqin."
...
The airport farewell—just moments ago, they were whispering to each other, and now they were worlds apart. Despite the connection they once shared, fate had led them to part ways.
Often, we don't understand each other. Perhaps from the beginning, fate had played a cruel joke on us, or maybe it was all a mistake from the start.
A Lai knew that Fang Fang's reluctance to even give him her phone number was a sign of her complete disappointment in him.
He tried to console himself, asking, *Why did the exam paper catch fire in my hands?*
He repeatedly pondered this question.
*Could it really be, as Dr. Wang suggested, that the lightning strike caused an inexplicable reaction in my body? Or is it something else?*
*I must uncover the mystery of this phenomenon and find a way to turn this situation around. I can't just let it go; otherwise, my life will end in confusion.*
*Excessive stress generates a large amount of charge in the body. If that charge isn't properly controlled by the mind, it becomes free electrons, gathering until they form a high-energy charge looking for an outlet. Since I was holding the exam paper, my hand became the point of release, and the paper became the target, heating up to the point of ignition.*
A Lai began deeply contemplating this issue and finally reached a conclusion.
Following the meditation techniques that Master Le Kong had once taught him, A Lai decided to explore the unknown within himself. Only by personally experimenting could he understand the situation. Relying solely on Dr. Wang's explanations would be like talking about military tactics on paper.
With the burden of intense studying lifted, A Lai began his journey of self-discovery, determined to unlock the mysteries within his own body.